


Don’t Put Me In

by wematch



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Exy (All For The Game), M/M, Post-Canon, Professional Exy (All For The Game), Professional Exy Player Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy Player Neil Josten, professional exy player Dan Wilds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24613921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wematch/pseuds/wematch
Summary: In Neil’s third year as a professional exy player, he’s determined to advance further into the competition with his new team and prove himself. The only problem is that their next match is against the Meerkats, last year champions and Andrew’s team.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 4
Kudos: 189





	Don’t Put Me In

**Author's Note:**

> So the story behind this fic is that @fangirl0503 sent me [[this post]](https://iamthebonecarver.tumblr.com/post/618849715771047936/i-like-to-think-that-even-years-later-andrew) made by @iamthebonecarver and asked if I could write something based on it. I was hesitant at first, I don’t think I’ve ever received a prompt before, but it was a fun fic to write. I hope you guys like it!
> 
> As usual, I also want to thank @tntwme for going over this fic <3

Before the new season starts, Neil is transferred to another team. He doesn’t mind the transfer because he gets to join Dan’s team where she has just been promoted to captain. It’s been years since he had the chance to live near any of the Foxes so he’s glad to be able to see Matt and Dan again.

Neil spends the weeks before the season officially starts training day and night with his new team. He’s determined to prove himself this season and stay on the team, so he trains until he can barely lift his racquet, or until Dan kicks him out of the court.

The season starts and Neil’s team keeps winning every game. Dan is confident that they have good chances to go to the finals and Neil can’t help but agree. The season is going well for their team and he feels the team getting stronger and more confident with every game that they win.

When the first teams are eliminated from the season, their coach gathers the whole team before practice starts to talk about the upcoming matches, and when he announces their next opponent, Neil can’t help but swear under his breath.

“What did you just say, Josten?”

The whole team turns to look at him. “Uh, nothing coach.”

Coach Esposito stares at him for a moment longer. “As I was saying, our first match will be against the Meerkats in two weeks. It won’t be easy to beat last year’s champions but we sure as hell are going try. Now, for the lineup we’ll start with Wilds, Garcia, Ivanov, Josten–”

“You can’t put me in,” Neil interrupts.

“Excuse me?”

“I can’t play against Andrew,” Neil begins to explain, “Andrew Minyard, their goalkeeper. I can’t score on him, he won’t let me.”

“He won’t let you?” His coach repeats.

“Just check my stats. I’ve never managed to score one single goal against him.” Neil is actually surprised that they have yet to play against Andrew’s team this season.

“I didn’t peg you as the superstitious type.”

“I’m not. But if you put me in that game and he’s the goalkeeper in my half, I won’t be able to score.”

“I don’t believe that you can’t score on the guy, you’re one of the best strikers we’ve had on the team in quite a few years.” 

“But–”

“No but,” his coach interrupts, “we’ll make sure to add more exercises to prepare you for the game.” 

“But coach–”

“Neil,” his coach interrupts again, “you’re playing and that is final.”

***

Neil walks out of the court, drenched in sweat, and panting from the game. Frustrated, he takes his helmet off and throws it to the floor. Every single opening he got, he tried to score. He passed the ball to Ivanov whenever he saw an opening on his side but to no use, they didn’t manage to score a single goal the whole first half. 

He sees coach Esposito storming in his direction with Dan right behind him. “What just happened out there?” he asks, pointing his arm to the court.

“I told you I wasn’t going to be able to score with him as the goalkeeper.” Neil didn’t manage to score a single goal on Andrew, of course he didn’t. Andrew had told him the day Neil signed his first contract that as long as they played in different teams he would not let Neil score on him. Neil took it as a challenge, a frustrating challenge that he has yet to beat. But now his team is going to lose massive points because of it, putting them in real danger of being eliminated from the season. “I wasn’t joking when I told you that. Andrew’s good. Real good. Half the time he barely tries out there and he’s still better than most goalkeepers out there.” 

“That part I can confirm, coach,” Dan says, “when I was his captain back in college and he focused on the game, it was incredible to watch.”

“Let me see if I got it right, you guys are telling me that Andrew Minyard, a pro athlete, half the time isn’t putting real effort in his games, but still managed to help his team win last season?”

“Yeah.”

Their coach takes a deep breath. “And when you play he actually focuses on the game?”

“Most of the time, yes.”

His coach eyes him for a moment before turning to Dan. “And the two of them worked well on the same team or this was a problem?”

“They worked well together, Neil was often the reason for Andrew to really play and that allowed us to win on several occasions.”

“Well if he doesn’t cost us the season I think it would be interesting to see you two play together again.”

“Really?”

“Don’t think I haven’t seen your games at Palmetto. I know the guy is good, but his stats never really made sense, he seemed too unpredictable in college.”

“When he focuses on the game he’s really good, coach.”

His coach seems to take a moment to gather his thoughts. He takes a step closer to Neil and lowers his voice. “Tell you what, I’ll make him an offer for next season but he’ll be stupid if he accepts it. It won’t be better than whatever he’s getting now,” he steps back and adds, “but I have a feeling he’ll accept it regardless.” 

Coach Esposito walks away in the direction of the players lining up for the second half and Neil can’t help but grin at the idea of being on the same team as Andrew after all these years.

In the end, their team manages to score enough goals in the second half for them to qualify and advance to the semifinals. When they get eliminated, Neil feels like they did everything they could and roots for Andrew’s team when he plays the final against Kevin’s team. 

Andrew’s team ends up losing the Championship and Neil cannot wait for the next season to begin where they’ll have a chance at defeating Kevin together.


End file.
